I've had six books published over the last ten years. During that time I have received only two really bad reviews. One of them appeared today. Though published in August, it just arrived in my editor's office in December, and she just sent it on this week.
I'm just not finding it all that upsetting. I will remember the words "stereotypes" and "stilted" because no one is so good at what she does that she should ignore...ah, shall we call it advice? But I've got an essay in line for publication at an on-line journal, a new book coming out in June, another book to work on, and I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow. What's one bad thing in the midst of all the good?
Besides, that review came out in August and while I didn't know about it my life went on just fine. How are things any different now that I do know about it? What's changed? Nothing.
So my editor and I e-mailed back and forth about this this afternoon. Then just now I got another e-mail from her. She's found another Happy Kid! review that hadn't been sent to me. And this one was great. I should be receiving it next week.
Really, when something discouraging happens in this line of work, you just have to wait. Things will turn around.
Was the bad review for Happy Kid? That's hard to believe.
ReplyDeleteJust know that you wrote a great book. In fact, if it helps at all, it will be on the 2007 summer reading list for Fairfax County. I may or may not have threatened a hunger strike if it wasn't included.